Month: September 2012

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Quote of the Day

"Every time you propagate the message that being gay is to be less than human, that same sex marriage cannot be as filled with love and laughter and tears as heterosexual marriage, that gays don't deserve to pass a legacy on to their family, you quicken that howling storm and sweep away a tiny bit more humanity from the world, drive one more child to contemplating the cold razor's bite, or the yawning abyss of the overdose because they simply cannot deal with the unceasing assault upon their psyche. Well I, for one, will not stand for it.

"I will not stand for a world that demeans those it finds 'different' or 'gross'. I will not stand for an ideology that promotes slavish adherence to a single arbitrary standard, that sacrifices children on the altar of oppression and control. I will not stand for one more RED TINGED MUSHROOM CLOUD second of people thinking that they have the right to live someone else's life for them, for the complete lack of empathy so often shown in our society. I stand for gay marriage. I stand for the end of segregation. I stand for a woman's right to vote. I stand for equality under the law, for treating others how I want to be treated, for the fundamental human right to live a happy life free of tyranny. I stand for my children." ~ Minnesota Vikings kicker Chris Kluwe, writing for the Pioneer Press.

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It's Been an Interesting Day

Apple unleashed both iOS6 and OS X 10.8.2 today.


I don't have a whole lot to say about iOS6. My aging iPhone 4 is unable to take advantage of many of the new features the software is touting. With upgrades like this, I'm just happy if they don't break anything. (Sadly, something I came to expect with Microsoft for the last twenty-plus years.) I'm sure I'll have a more formed opinion of the OS once I replace the phone with the new model.

And as for OS X 10.8.2, it added Facebook integration to the Mac operating system and cleaned up a few stray bugs that were still plaguing some users who upgraded to Mountain Lion last July. Facebook integration—much like Mountain Lion's Twitter integration—is something I'm not likely to use much. It's no secret that I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook, and if I want to waste time there, I'll go onto the website itself. And frankly, there's nothing I need to post there that's so important that it can't wait the additional two seconds it takes to do that.

Like a lot of users, my initial upgrade to Mountain Lion caused a precipitous drop in battery life. I think that was addressed in the .1 update a few weeks ago because yesterday I'd forgotten to plug my laptop into the mains and hadn't realized it until nearly 5 hours later when the low battery level warning popped up. That is at least back to where it was under Lion, so if this .2 update gives me any more time, it's gravy.

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Stupidity Gets Another Smackdown

From The Ed Show:

Another defeat for the hapless birther movement: President Barack Obama will be on the November election ballot in Kansas.

All three Republican members of the State Objections Board voted today allow Obama to be listed as a candidate for re-election, despite the protest of California lawyer/dentist Orly Taitz, one of the most prominent birthers in the country.

The board's action came four days after Joe Montgomery of Manhattan, Kansas, filed a complaint, saying he believed Obama was not a natural born U.S. citizen and therefore was ineligible to qualify for re-election.  But Montgomery withdrew his objection on Friday because of what he called intimidation directed at him and people around him.

When Taitz showed up at today's meeting, State Objections Board member Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach told her the deadline to file an objection had passed.

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Space Porn

Saturn's moon Enceladus, showing geysers spraying water into space that eventually finds its way onto Saturn and may be a big contributor to the planet's "E" ring.

Click to embiggen.

Remind me again why the human race doesn't need space exploration? And then when you're finished maybe you can then explain why we don't need art, or music, or literature…

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My Dream Turntable


Technics SL-150Mk2 with an Infinity Black Widow tonearm.

Rare—and way out of my financial reach back when it was new, this has always been my ultimate turntable/tonearm combination. I'm not sure I'd play records any more often than I do now if I had one (I haven't even bothered unboxing my existing 1300Mk2 since the move), but I might be more inclined to. Like I've written many times before, for all the convenience and instant gratification that digital recordings provide, there's just something about spinning a piece of vinyl that digital will never be able to capture.

The 150Mk2 has all the positive aspects of Technics first generation Mk2 line with none of the integrated tonearm-related drawbacks of the rest of the series. And even back in the late 70s, the Infinity (who made some kick ass speakers and is today just a hollow shell of its former self) tonearm was considered one of the best on the market. Its tube was made of carbon fiber, for chrissake. Carbon. Fiber. In 1979!

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You Be the Judge

Profile of a Sociopath

  • Glibness and Superficial Charm
  • Manipulative and Conning
    They never recognize the rights of others and see their self-serving behaviors as permissible. They appear to be charming, yet are covertly hostile and domineering, seeing their victim as merely an instrument to be used. They may dominate and humiliate their victims.
  • Grandiose Sense of Self
    Feels entitled to certain things as "their right."
  • Pathological Lying
    Has no problem lying coolly and easily and it is almost impossible for them to be truthful on a consistent basis. Can create, and get caught up in, a complex belief about their own powers and abilities. Extremely convincing and even able to pass lie detector tests.
  • Lack of Remorse, Shame or Guilt
    A deep seated rage, which is split off and repressed, is at their core. Does not see others around them as people, but only as targets and opportunities. Instead of friends, they have victims and accomplices who end up as victims. The end always justifies the means and they let nothing stand in their way.
  • Shallow Emotions
    When they show what seems to be warmth, joy, love and compassion it is more feigned than experienced and serves an ulterior motive. Outraged by insignificant matters, yet remaining unmoved and cold by what would upset a normal person. Since they are not genuine, neither are their promises.
  • Incapacity for Love
  • Need for Stimulation
    Living on the edge. Verbal outbursts and physical punishments are normal. Promiscuity and gambling are common.
  • Callousness/Lack of Empathy
    Unable to empathize with the pain of their victims, having only contempt for others' feelings of distress and readily taking advantage of them.
  • Poor Behavioral Controls/Impulsive Nature
    Rage and abuse, alternating with small expressions of love and approval produce an addictive cycle for abuser and abused, as well as creating hopelessness in the victim. Believe they are all-powerful, all-knowing, entitled to every wish, no sense of personal boundaries, no concern for their impact on others.
  • Early Behavior Problems/Juvenile Delinquency
    Usually has a history of behavioral and academic difficulties, yet "gets by" by conning others. Problems in making and keeping friends; aberrant behaviors such as cruelty to people or animals, stealing, etc.
  • Irresponsibility/Unreliability
    Not concerned about wrecking others' lives and dreams. Oblivious or indifferent to the devastation they cause. Does not accept blame themselves, but blames others, even for acts they obviously committed.
  • Promiscuous Sexual Behavior/Infidelity
    Promiscuity, child sexual abuse, rape and sexual acting out of all sorts.
  • Lack of Realistic Life Plan/Parasitic Lifestyle
    Tends to move around a lot or makes all encompassing promises for the future, poor work ethic but exploits others effectively.
  • Criminal or Entrepreneurial Versatility
    Changes their image as needed to avoid prosecution. Changes life story readily.

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